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Advent II
"I will pray the Father and He
will give you another Comforter, that
He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
Here’s the real Christmas: Jesus Christ is our Present and the Cross of
Calvary is our Tree. The Giver is God the Father, and His assistants are the
holy angels. There’s no reindeer and sleigh, but we have His prophets, who
gave us the Word of God. Better than candy or anything else we can imagine, we
have the "Bread of Life"
(John 6:48), and His Name is Jesus Christ. Jesus told us He would send us "another
Comforter" (John 14:16) and we have Him, in the
Person of the Holy Spirit of God.
The following two paragraphs are from Don Haynes (a Board Member of Friday
Study Ministries):
"Michael Tye (a good friend),
bought a 'GPS' (Global Positioning System), a small hand held device. Enter an
address or location anywhere on earth and it gives exact directions on how to
get there. 'Turn right go 50 feet, turn left go 200 miles' etc. These machines
are in communication with satellites around the globe and are accurate within a
few yards. Greg Good, a computer guy and friend, was fascinated with Michael's
GPS and borrowed it to 'discover' the technology. Greg sat at his desk, punched
in coordinates and numbers, and waited for the reply... Nothing! Unshaken, he
tried it again and again... Nothing... Greg opened the manual, followed the
directions, step by step by step and hit Enter! ...Nothing!!! Sometimes it's
best to get up, walk away and let your emotions calm down, which is what he did.
GPS in hand, he headed for the front door, and the unit sprang to life! 'Turn
right, go 50 feet, turn left go 200 miles' etc. He had unknowingly cracked the
code. You have to be moving first before it will give any directions.
"Greg is a wonderful Christian
with a lot of spiritual discernment and he found God's message in these events:
Christians are often 'waiting on the Lord' for direction. Waiting... waiting...
waiting... 'Does the Lord want me in this ministry or that?' 'Should I talk to
this person?' 'Should I take this job?' 'How do I know that this is the Lord's
will?' GET MOVING!! Proverbs 3:6 says that He will "direct
your paths" (this suggests
movement). He might have us on one path for the first 50 feet, and then the next
one for 200 miles. Certainly we need a plan, but it is of no use unless we put
it into action. An army general understands this. A plan is necessary, but get
moving and adjust. Get new directions as you go. Stay in constant communication
(prayer). Get up, get going and God will direct you. Go the wrong way, &
He'll close a door and open a new one."
That's precisely what our Lord and Savior did for us. He gave up everything
as God the Son in eternity, and taking the "GPS unit" we call the Holy
Spirit of God, He came to earth; to you and me. He did not actively use the
"GPS" capability until His baptism, when the Holy Spirit fell upon Him
in the form of a dove (John 1:32). To some extent you can define "GPS"
as "God's Positioning System," but that's not precisely right, for the
Holy Spirit is a Person; Himself God, sent by the Father and Son, to help you
and me. Better than a "gadget," He's Someone who will see you through.
Long before these things, a man named Gideon had been threshing wheat inside
his father Joash's wine press, in order to hide what he was doing from the
Midianites. Suddenly, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: "The
Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor"
(Judges 6:12). Gideon wasn't feeling particularly "mighty"
at the moment, and replied, "O my
lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where
are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?"
(Judges 6:13).
Many times we are like Gideon, hiding in the "winepress"
of our lives, which might be our work, involved in a set of circumstances that
feels "secure" and familiar. But there is no security here on earth.
Do you ever wonder secretly, "if
the Lord really cares, how could this have HAPPENED to me?"
(or someone you care about). That was Gideon's question, and the Lord's answer
was "GO in this might of yours,
and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?"
(Judges 6:14).
All Gideon could "see" of life was the inside of his father’s
wine press, and his fear, as he contemplated the Midianites who might be
outside, right at that moment. But God had more in life for him, just as He has
for you and for me.
"Have I not sent you?"
It's easy to look at the original apostles, or the great "saints" of
history, or our pastor, and decide, "that's them, but I'm just me!"
But when Christ Jesus sends us, we are not alone. Jesus said, "I
will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter
(Greek = Another of the Same Kind), that
He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
Jesus Christ will give you the Spirit of God. All of us, like Gideon, are
ultimately called to the service of the Lord, and sent in spiritual directions
we know nothing about. But our "GPS" (the Holy Spirit of God) will see
us through.
Listen to Him. Trust in Him, and follow Him, wherever He may lead. Are you
"waiting on the Lord for
direction in your life"? As Greg Good has taught
us, try every "door" that is before you. Actively look for God’s
direction, and when His "door" opens for you, "GET
MOVING" and He will direct you. Remember, "
He will give you another Comforter, that
He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
Happy Holidays from Friday Study Ministries and the Lord Jesus Christ. Dare
to receive His Present and enter a whole new life with Him who loves you so.
Lord Jesus, You left Your "comfort zone" just because we needed
You. It is so obvious that You have entrusted Your ministry on this earth, to
those who are hearing these words right now. Equip us for service, Lord, by
giving us our GPS (the Holy Spirit of God). Send us, Lord, into the life You
would have us live for You. Let us become the people You always meant us to be.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org
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